The present invention relates to direct mail articles comprising an outer letter sheet or envelope which includes therein a preformed reply or return envelope and one or more detachable reply coupons as desired. The article and the method of manufacture is especially adapted to the personalization of the final product.
The method and product described herein is particularly suited for the commercial production of personalized articles in which the printed content is for the most part the same, but which may be readily personalized in prescribed areas during production for the intended recipient. Users of direct mail products regard personalization as a highly desirable feature. Letters of the type used in direct mail advertising, fund raising solicitation and the like are usually personalized by printing the name of the recipient in one or more places within the body of the product using a high speed computer printer or the like. When a return coupon or the like is included in the package, it is also desirable to imprint the name of the recipient thereon to assure proper identification of the returned item. Customarily such return pieces are separately printed and later collated with the corresponding letter pieces. However, errors in collation often occur when the return items are assembled with the letters to complete the mailing package. Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved method for making a personalized letter package which includes an outer letter sheet or envelope, one or more detachable coupons integral therewith and a return envelope structure, using conventional equipment and a minimum amount of paper material.